Being crowned the “Queen of Promotions” in a city compelled to brighten its nightlife scene with theme parties and other special events is an honor worth trumpeting and celebrating.
The queen is Sharee Gavin who is better known as Mochalatte, though she needs no introduction.
Since 2006, she has thrown long-running weekly parties Downtown, Midtown and in South City. She has promoted events for Nelly, Murphy Lee, Slo Down and City Spud.
She has even successfully produced three simultaneous events in those locales. She passes out 80 percent of her own flyers, greets her guests and emcees her own events.
As if that wasn’t enough, Mochalatte recently rapped her own jingle for her latest weekly party.
It’s, admittedly, a catchy, upbeat joint that gets its message across clearly and compellingly. Whether she’s spitting, “No one on corner got swagger like Lush” or “Meet me at Lush,” it’s a commercial that could not only keep a pop music fan from switching stations, but doing a couple of head bobs.
“Who bringing out the models, keep the brothers popping bottles, Lush located on Olive,” raps Mochalatte.
Lush, the once predominately white club in the 3000 block of Olive in Midtown, is Mochalatte’s latest hot spot. She’s currently holding down two nights: Sunday for her Sunday Night Shindig and Friday is The Best Damn Friday Period.
Friday, February 27 is a special edition as Mochalatte and her Monopoly Promotions, LLC, presents, her 37th birthday party. To celebrate, she’s bringing in produced-turned-rapper Ron Browz, known for his club hits such as “Pop Champaign,” featuring Rappers Jim Jones and Juelz Santana.
“I’m excited because he hasn’t been to St. Louis before, he makes these hot club songs and it isn’t often that people like him come to clubs, especially on a Friday night,” said Mochalatte.
It’s free for women to get into her Friday and Sunday events and they drink free until 11 p.m. Mochalatte’s Star Studded Birthday Bash will be no different.
“When it’s my birthday, I want to kick it with everyone,” she said adding that, “We’re all stars in our own right – you just have to shine where you are bright.”
Mochalatte and her partner Slim of Loose Cannon have been known for throwing free parties. Lush is also lowering its price of bottles to $100.
“I like to see people happy and I truly enjoy what I do,” she said. “Some people are money motivated and others are motivated people who get money – the latter is me,” she said.
“They know if you’re just doing it for the money – we need it, but what about when you’re not making much money? A lot of people will stop doing events, but you have to go on and stay consistent.”
Mocha Latte, also a poet who has produced monthly weekly poetry event, says “attitude is gratitude.”
A good, winning attitude is something that has bolstered the Queen on Promotions over the years. She actually started promoting professionally three years ago when her child support check cut down to $22 per month.
“I didn’t cry – I got on my grind,” she said, hence her name, Mochalatte (plus the light and dark blend that is her fair-skinned complexion).
“I was faced with diversity and decided to make positive physical and mental changes,” she said.
Mochalatte starting asking promoters if she could help them out so she could learn. Mo Spoon of the popular Eye Candy Models brought her on as an intern, then Alice Prince, another local standout promoter.
She said it was on and popping when she hooked up with Slim since she was in the forefront and allowed a heaping of creative control.
Mochalatte has been passing out flyers since she was 15 and still does.
When Mochalatte isn’t promoting parties, she’s works at a social worker, empowering women to become productive citizens, some also worth celebrating and trumpeting.
That’s my Gorgeous Daughter